With an historical survey of the technique, as used in advertising and photography. Includes: Alberto Vargas, Bob Zoell, Charles White III, Dave Willardson, Doug Johnson, Peter Lloyd, Peter Palombi, Roger Huyssen, Mick Haggerty, Taki Ono, others An airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including ink and dye, but most often paint by a process of nebulization. Spray guns developed from the airbrush and are still considered a type of airbrush. The first airbrush, depending on your definition, was patented in 1876 by Francis Edgar Stanley of Newton, Massachusetts. Stanley and his twin brother later invented a process for continuously coating photographic plates (Stanley Dry Plate Company) but are perhaps best known for their Stanley Steamer. Unfortunately no artistic images that used this "paint distributor / atomiser" exist or are as yet known. The airbrush that was first given the name Air Brush, was developed by Abner Peeler and used a hand-operated compressor, and the inventor patented it "for the painting of watercolors and other artistic purposes". It was rather crude, being based on a number of spare parts in a jeweller"s workshop such as old screwdrivers and welding torches. It took 4 years of further development before a truly practical device was developed. This was marketed by Liberty Walkup, who taught airbrush technique to American Impressionist master Wilson Irvine at the Air Brush School in Rockford, Illinois. The first certain "atomising" type airbrush came along in 1893, presented by Thayer and Chandler art materials company at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, invented by Charles Burdick. This device looked like a pen and worked in a different manner to Peeler"s device, being essentially the same as a modern airbrush. Aerograph, Burdick"s original company, still makes and sells airbrushes in England.